So close

After work today we headed out for a family dinner at a Japanese restaurant. They sit 8 to a grill (large griddle) and the chef takes center stage. It's a fun place since they chop and flip the food in front of you. If you get something with onions, they will separate the rings and make it into a volcano and light some oil or something and it caramelizes, flames and smokes. It's quite entertaining.

I was the last to arrive and there was already a couple on one end and the rest of our family across the other short end and the long side. I sat next to the other couple.

They were younger than us. A little quiet. Then I show up and ended up paying more attention to them than my own family. I have to say, I was hoping I was going to be able to get them to pose for a portrait.

We talked about their jobs in the social work field and recycling industry. Both were quite intriguing. I had a nice conversation with them and was happy they were willing to reciprocate.

My son was taking some pictures and they asked about photography. Since the subject was breached I mentioned that I was doing a project for organ donation awareness. One was a donor and the other wasn't.

To me, there was a bit of tension in the air at that point. I had to reiterate that I don't care about the decision. All I want to do is bring about an awareness and elicit a conversation. I tried to talk about other subjects, but it's tough. I sometimes get tunnel vision when I want something really bad. Like a portrait. But it's very important to see the forest for the trees and not press too hard for a portrait.

Dinner was about done and we finished with some small chat. Then as they were getting ready to leave she said she would keep us in our prayers but would have to pass on the photo.

While I was bummed. I felt I had a nice conversation with someone I would have never met otherwise.

Someday, some of the people I meet will actually call me or email me to have a portrait taken. Until then. It's business as usual.